The rpms at a little over 130 km/h were about 2,400 in the BMW X5 xDrive35d.

Derek McNaughton

A Heads Up display showed the speed of the X5 on the glass. Helpful, but it needs its own switch for brightness.

Derek McNaughton

BMW X5 xDrive35d in Florida.

Derek McNaughton

BMW X5 xDrive35d in Florida.

Derek McNaughton

BMW X5 xDrive35d in St. Petersburg Florida.

Derek McNaughton

BMW X5 xDrive35d in St. Petersburg Florida.

Derek McNaughton

BMW X5 xDrive35d in St. Petersburg Florida.

Derek McNaughton

BMW X5 xDrive35d in St. Petersburg Florida.

Derek McNaughton

BMW X5 xDrive35d in St. Petersburg Florida.

Derek McNaughton

BMW X5 xDrive35d in St. Petersburg Florida.

Derek McNaughton

St. Petersburg Florida at sunset.

Derek McNaughton

Gators are common in waters near St. Petersburg Florida.

Derek McNaughton

Navigation system in X5 showing St. Petersburg Florida.

Derek McNaughton

BMW X5 xDrive35d in St. Petersburg Florida.

Derek McNaughton

BMW X5 xDrive35d in St. Petersburg Florida.

Derek McNaughton

BMW X5 xDrive35d in St. Petersburg Florida.

Derek McNaughton

BMW X5 xDrive35d in St. Petersburg Florida.

Derek McNaughton

BMW X5 xDrive35d in St. Petersburg Florida.

Derek McNaughton

BMW X5 xDrive35d in St. Petersburg Florida.

Derek McNaughton

BMW X5 xDrive35d in St. Petersburg Florida.

Derek McNaughton

BMW X5 xDrive35d in St. Petersburg Florida.

Derek McNaughton

Ottawa to Florida in BMW’s X5 diesel - more than 53 hours behind the wheel

By Derek McNaughton, Postmedia News

Originally published: March 22, 2013

SMALL

MEDIUM

LARGE

Sunny and warm St. Petersburg, Florida doesn’t seem all that far away when plotting the route from cold and icy Ottawa, Ont. But after 16 hours driving on the highway, the additional nine hours still required can seem more difficult than mounting the Hillary Step.

Keenly aware of the dangers of drowsy driving, I managed those 16 hours behind the wheel of BMW’s X5 diesel — the xDrive35d — before handing the reins over to my wife who had slept through the day. She and I and our two sons, aged 12 and 15, were en route to Florida for the March-break week, having chosen the X5 diesel specifically for this mother-of-all long-haul tasks.

Why the diesel? Because I, like many people, hate throwing money away on fuel. Isn’t it more preferable to spend $100 on wine than $10 on fuel?

Either way, the selection of the X5 diesel certainly paid off: My cost for the drive down and back amounted to $412.63 — requiring only three fill ups each way, with fuel left over. On the way home we drove nine hours from northern Virginia without stopping once for fuel (but twice for pee breaks). Our travel bill does not include the $70 tank used while driving to various places in Florida over the week. Including that tank, we spent a total of $482.63 to drive a total of 5,553 kilometres. Try doing that in a hybrid SUV.

My average fuel consumption ranged from a low of 8.4L/100km while driving mostly at 120-140 km/h (depending on which state we were in), to a high of 9.1. The official highway figure is 6.4. With many southern states enjoying a speed limit of 75 mph, and most drivers pushing it to 85 mph, the BMW devoured the miles quickly while sipping fuel as modestly as Queen Elizabeth sips tea. After one fill up near Walnut Bottom, PA, where horse-drawn carriages still roam its streets, the BMW’s on board meter showed a range of 1,032 kilometres to empty. This, while carrying four people and their gear in a 2,335-kilogram all-wheel-drive SUV.

Let’s all say it together now: Diesel rules.

Most other medium-sized SUVs I’ve driven average no better than 13L/100 km on the highway. In any of those vehicles, I would have consumed at least 721 litres of gasoline to cover the same distance. While gasoline was priced about 50 cents a U.S. gallon below the price of diesel in the U.S., which averaged about $4.19 per gallon, any other non-diesel SUV would still have cost me about $700 in fuel.

But it’s not just the cost savings or long-haul ability that makes the $64,300 X5 diesel so great. In more than 53 hours of driving to Florida and back, the X5 exhibited — if this makes sense — an alertness that prevented me from growing drowsy behind the wheel. It’s combination of tight steering, outstanding visibility, exceptional feedback and engine response seemed to keep the monotonous drive of Interstate 81 and I95 at bay. In essence, I never got tired of driving the X5 and always looked forward to the feel of it.

Much of that, of course, is because the inline 6-cylinder turbo diesel, produces 425 lb.-ft. of torque, mostly at the point where it’s needed most, between 1,750 and 2,250 rpm, so as soon as some throttle is applied, there’s a big rush of power. It feels great. Acceleration from zero to 100 km/h isn’t sluggish either at 7.4 seconds. The diesel engine is completely hushed at highway cruising, and is mostly muted at slower speeds. It’s not silent by any means, however, and does exhibit the click clack of a diesel engine at idle and in lower speeds. It’s easily heard with the windows down and from the outside, but much less so inside. I liked the sound, though, because it fits with the powerful nature of this SUV, and because I could always tell what was happening with the engine. New models will undoubtedly get quieter, for better or worse.

And while a new X5 is also around the corner, expected to arrive sometime in 2014, the 2013 model has features that might make it just as covetable as the new. (Our test vehicle was a 2012 built in the last days before the 2013 switch, but it is still the same vehicle as a 2013, and cost $77,600 with options). Most notably is the steering, which remains hydraulic, not yet electrically boosted. Yes, the hydraulic set up makes the steering heavy in parking lots and low-speed turns, but the feedback is exceptional, possibly the best of any SUV on the market. I loved the optional panoramic sunroof and split-folding power tailgate — which protects the bumper when loading and makes for a great bench seat when parked.

The gauges, too, are proud and clear and physical, not yet the digital and graphic type expected in the coming replacement. While less weight would be welcome, more girth wouldn’t, as the current X5 hits the sweet spot of being just the right width, length and height. The cargo space at 35.8 cubic feet was suitable for our family of four, and there is additional space beneath the cargo floor for those X5’s without a third row. The front seats are, quite possibly, the best thrones I’ve ever enjoyed, not once giving me a cramp or an uncomfortable feel in the drive down to Florida and back. The rear seats were heated, as was the steering wheel.

What could be enhanced, for sure, is more cupboard space up front. The glove box is tiny, as is the centre storage, something that was immediately evident on a long trip. I would like to see more cubbies and bins to store phones, wallets and such. A slightly larger LCD screen nestled between the two main gauges would also be welcome, allowing for a digital readout for speed, similar to the way Audi does it. LED headlamps, tail lamps and turn signals, front and back, should be standard on a vehicle like this too.

What needs no modification, however, is the X5’s diesel engine and six-speed transmission. The combination made short work of a massively long drive, getting us to our vacation destination swiftly — and efficiently. Ottawa to Florida my not be the Everest of drives, but doing it in an X5 was like having the best Sherpa on the planet.